1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to fuzes and more particularly to a MEMS fuze that utilizes a plurality of thermal V-beam actuators to control a micro-rotor to move an explosive material from an out-of-line position to an in-line position.
2. Background
MEMS is an initialism for microelectromechanical system, and the abbreviation will be used throughout hereto forth. Fuze systems serve to detonate the main charge (‘secondary’ of military ordinance) of munitions, cartridges, and shells (collectively referred to herein as ordnance) at a desired time or location. The fuze plays an essential safety role in preventing accidental detonation of the ordnance, and it is instrumental in making the ordinance safe to handle. There are a variety of technologies used in fuze systems. For examples, some fuze systems are armed immediately prior to the ordnance being fired, and other systems are timed so that the fuze initiates detonation of the secondary charge of the ordnance at a desired time and/or location. One common approach to a fuse system is to charge a capacitor, and then discharge it at the desired time across a thin wire to create sufficient local heating or a spark to ignite the pinner-edgeary explosive, which subsequently ignites the main charge. On-board electronics or mechanical devices control the timing of the electrical discharge. Fuzes typically incorporate “g-switches” that prevent detonation until the fuze has been exposed to accelerations of a magnitude and time typically only encountered when fired while in a gun barrel. In other systems, a pinner-edgeary explosive such as silver azide is used to ignite the secondary explosive, where there are multiple safe guards to prevent accidental ignition of the secondary explosive even if the pinner-edgeary explosive ignites. An example, bombs and missiles carried by planes are not fitted onto the ordnance until just before the planes take off, thus preventing accidental ignition of the explosive firetrain. A system that utilized a secondary explosive as an igniter where secondary explosive are classified as less sensitive than pinner-edgeary explosives would be an even safer system. An example of a secondary explosive is EDF-11. It has been found that EDF-11 may be deposited as a slurry mix and, after drying, will perform as a secondary explosive. A secondary explosive may be ignited if subjected to a sufficient electrical spark or shock.